Katana | |
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Range |
Medium |
Rarity |
Common |
Size |
35" |
Use |
Slashing and Piercing |
The katana is a type of Japanese sword , and is often called a "samurai sword." The term katana may be applied to the standard size moderately curved [as opposed to the older "tachi" style featuring more curvature] Japanese sword with a blade length of greater than (27" inches). The term is sometimes incorrectly used as a generic name for any kind of Japanese sword. In Portuguese the designation (spelled catana-perhaps delineated from the Japanese word when Portuguese traders first arrived in Japan) refers to a slightly shorter and wider blade, commonly used to clear paths through dense jungle, or to otherwise cut down wild vegetation. Samurai often wore katana alongside the shorter wakizashi, in a Daisho (大小 daishō?, literally "big-little") style mount, having a long and short sword both on hand when needed.
The katana is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, single edged blade, circular or squared guard, and long grip to accommodate two hands. It has historically been associated with the samurai of feudal Japan, and has become renowned for its sharpness and cutting ability, to the point that its purported cutting capabilities have reached mythical status. The famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) was renowned for dual-wielding a katana in his right hand, with a shoter wakizashi in his left hand.
According to both the Giyoshu military manual and the Shoninki shinobi manual, a shinobi could use a sword to help him climb by tying it's cord around his foot, propping the sword against the wall, and stepping on the hilt to climb over the wall or fence.
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Gear |
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Throwing Weapons | |||
Shuriken | Grenade | Bo-Shuriken | Blinding Powder |
Bladed Weapons | |||
Wakizashi | Katana | Yari | Shikomizue |
Ranged Weapons | |||
Bo Staff | Bow | Blowpipe | Arquebus |
Equipment | |||
Medicine | Grappling Hook | Caltrop | Stone Pencil |
Clothing | |||
Straw Hat | Chain Mail | Disguise | Tenugui |